Governors push for nurses’ risk allowances
Council of Governors Chairman Wycliffe Oparanya addresses media on devolution and coronavirus outbreak, in Nairobi on April 8, 2020. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The council wants SRC chairperson Lyn Mengich to advise whether county governments should use existing allowances.
- Kenya has 234 confirmed cases, with major hospitals on the alert. Isolation wards for treating patients have been set up.
Governors have started the push to have doctors, nurses and other health workers in direct contact with coronavirus patients paid enhanced allowances for the risks they encounter.
The Council of Governors has urged the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to approve the request and the newly-formed National Co-ordination Committee on the Coronavirus Pandemic to set aside more resources for the allowances.
Nurses are the most exposed workers in hospitals, being the first contacts with those infected with the deadly virus.
People with coronavirus exhibit several symptoms, including fever, shortness of breath, coughing, sore throat and fatigue.
In a letter to the SRC and the committee, CoG chairman Wycliffe Oparanya said the healthcare workers have an increased workload; therefore, they need to be paid allowances that match their new responsibilities.
“Workers are faced with increased workload in two respects: they have to handle the infected and affected families and are at the centre of implementing the measures of control and prevention in the communities they work in,” the Kakamega governor said in the April 15 letter.
The council wants SRC chairperson Lyn Mengich to advise whether county governments should use existing allowances.
“On this premise, the council recommends that there is need for your office to determine an honorarium for the Covid-19 frontline staff who are serving beyond their call of duty in this period,” Mr Oparanya said.
And in a separate letter to Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, who chairs the National Co-ordination Committee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, governors requested the committee to set aside resources to cater for the additional allowances.
“Your indulgence in this matter will be highly appreciated. The council will consolidate the budget for the county governments,” Mr Oparanya said.
In China, where the viral outbreak first surfaced last December, thousands of health workers were infected.
Others died from coronavirus, exhaustion, crowded hospitals, extremely long hours of work and shortage of protective gear.
Kenya has 234 confirmed cases, with major hospitals on the alert. Isolation wards for treating patients have been set up.
